US forces carried out airstrikes on Iranian coastal targets following an alleged drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions in the key shipping route.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), American aircraft struck missile and drone storage facilities along Iran’s southern coast as well as radar installations. The strikes came after a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel, M/V Ever Lovely, was hit by a one-way attack drone while exiting the strait, causing damage to its bridge but no injuries to the crew.
The US said the attack on the ship threatened maritime security, while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed strikes on its positions near Sirik, east of the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC warned it would respond “at a time and place of our choosing.”
Tensions further rose as Iran stressed that shipping safety in the region could not be guaranteed without coordination with Iranian authorities. The incident also disrupted a UN-backed maritime coordination effort aimed at assisting thousands of commercial vessels passing through the strait.
Despite the strikes, a US official said the operation did not signal a return to full-scale conflict. CENTCOM added that US forces remain deployed in the region to ensure safe passage for commercial shipping and enforcement of ceasefire-related arrangements.
